Mysore/Mysuru: A day after he was appointed as the  Head of N.R. Assembly Constituency COVID-19 Control Task Force, Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha, along with District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. R. Venkatesh, visited St. Joseph’s Hospital in Bannimantap, Columbia Asia Hospital on Mysuru-Bengaluru Highway and Narayana Multi-Speciality Hospital at Devanur on Ring Road, all located in N.R.Assembly limits this morning, to review the Hospitals’ readiness to allot beds for COVID-19 Care, with the Government asking Private Hospitals to part with 50 percent of their bed capacity for treatment of infected patients.

During the visit, the MP appealed the Hospitals’ Managements to reserve beds for treatment of COVID-19 patients as directed by the Government and also to actively involve themselves in COVID-19 Care as the country is facing a medical emergency.

At St.Joseph’s Hospital, the MP also inspected the 15-bed Fever Clinic and ICU facilities. The Hospital authorities promised to adhere to Government directions in respect of reservation of beds for COVID-19 care.

Fr. Leslie Moraes, Fr. Emmanuel, Fr. Sanjay, BJP leader Dr. Anil Thomas and other Hospital authorities were present.

Likewise, the authorities of Columbia Asia and Narayana Hospitals too are said to have agreed to comply with the Government Order.

Speaking to presspersons, Pratap Simha said that almost all Private Hospitals in the city have voluntarily come forward for COVID Care and said that City Hospitals have agreed to reserve as many number of beds as possible. 

Maintaining that no Hospital has rejected the Government directive, the MP said that it is glad to note that Private Hospitals have extended their co-operation in the battle against the deadly pandemic.

Referring to rapid spread of the virus in N.R. Assembly segment, Simha said that extensive Rapid Antigen Testing is being conducted in hotspot areas of the Constituency. Noting that 30 out of the 150 samples collected  so far have turned out to be positive in Lab tests, he said that this high percentage (20 percent) of infection is of grave concern and the people should voluntarily come out for undergoing tests in the interests of their own health and safety.

He also said that he will soon meet all Community leaders and Religious Heads to seek their support in this decisive battle against the pandemic.

Replying to a query on former Chamaraja Congress MLA Vasu’s objection to his (Simha) appointment as the Head of NR Constituency COVID-19 Task Force, the MP said that he does not want to comment on such irrelevant comments. He further said that the former MLA’s comment was unwarranted at a time when the entire country is fighting the pandemic. “Everyone knows that N.R. MLA is unwell and had not attended any COVID-19 or other official meetings over the past couple of months,” he added.